The Most Mysterious of Plays
by Songwind
Summary: What if, on Mission: Rescue Yui, Yui returned with the UOTFG before Tamahome and Miaka had their touching reunion? AU, obviously. Hope you enjoy.
1. Default Chapter

**The Most Mysterious of Plays**

By: Songwind

Disclaimer- I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. Whoo. Big Shock.

Genre- AU, romance, adventure, etc.

Author's Notes- This is based upon a simple 'if'- during Mission Rescue Yui, what if Yui had come back before Tamahome and Miaka had their touching moment? How different would the story have been? Please forgive me if there have already been stories about this, but I have not yet heard of any of them. I pray that this one is original enough for everyone's tastes.

Warning- Romance, and a case of The-Authoress-Royally-Screws-With-The-Story-Itis.

Chapter One: Escape!

* * *

_This is –not- good._

Miaka looked about uneasily as the strange, blonde warrior led her down yet another huge, unidentifiable hallway. The main color theme was blue, and there were an amazing number of hues of said shade. What was also amazing was that, somehow, the paintings and the tapestries that lined the walls didn't hurt her eyes from all of the same color.

However, she still felt greatly disoriented, and had to pause once or twice in following the blonde warrior to get her bearings straight. She was no longer certain what direction she would need to take to escape, once she had a chance. Nor did she have a clue as to how she would escape.

_I can't depend on Tamahome. Never again. _

She swallowed as they turned a corner. This time, the hallway had no side doors, but large windows that let the sunlight shine in cheerfully upon both Miaka and the warrior. Typical, how the weather was the opposite of her mood.

Then again, this wasn't some stupid show. This was for real.

There was something different about this hallway- the huge doors at the end of the hallway being one difference- but they had entered through such doors before, each set of wood becoming more and more elaborate in its delicate carvings. Miaka couldn't help but feel nervous about touching such beautiful works of art. Knowing how she could trip over nothing at the drop of a hat, she was glad she hadn't accidentally set one of those doors on fire yet or something.

"Um, excuse me," the young priestess murmured, hurrying to catch up with her escort. "How much further?"  
  
"It is but through those doors, and we shall be within the presence of the emperor," the blonde man said, not slowing the slightest in his pace for her. "This is a great honor, speaking with the emperor. Remember that."

"O-of course it is! I-I mean it's the _emperor, _right? So what do I gotta do?"

"Do?" The man raised an eyebrow. "What do you think you must do?"  
  
"Well, uh.. I don't know. That's why I'm asking," the young woman stammered. "Y'know, to show I'm the priestess and stuff…"

"Ah. You have only to accept the duties of Priestess of Seiyruu, and you will be free to carry out your duties."  
  
"Oh."

"Please hurry. The emperor has been waiting."

With that, the blonde man ended the conversation. Miaka, feeling even more clueless than before, sent a brief prayer up to Suzaku as well as the god she'd been raised worshipping, hoping that everything would turn out all right despite these new odds.

Soon enough, they found themselves before the doors.

Miaka noticed another difference in this hallway; beyond this door, she could make out music being played, and the sound of someone laughing. All the other doors had led to silence.

It was eerie, how quiet this place was. The palace back in Konan was always energetic, filled with advisors, scholars and harem women racing about, attending to their duties. Here, the servants stayed in the shadows unless specifically ordered to do otherwise. They had passed a courtyard earlier, where a servant had been beaten for stepping into the shade where his master lay.

"This is it?" she whispered.

The blonde warrior nodded, brushing his cape away from his armor, which gleamed in the sunlight from the windows. "Let us enter."  
  
The doors opened, and the two entered.

Miaka suddenly realized she'd made a mistake while attempting to enter Kutou's palace.

_No wonder the guards were so suspicious! All those hallways… that must have been the back way to enter the Palace. Oh gee, now I get it…_

The door they entered through was a side one, so that Miaka was blasted with sunlight in one eye and granted shade in the other. She winced, peering at where the sunlight came from. The great tapestries of the giant hall were being pulled back by some servants, allowing the sunlight inside. The pulled-back tapestries served a double purpose, allowing people entering from side doors a small respite from the bright light.

The warrior nudged Miaka towards the carpet that led to the throne. Jumping, she looked up at him. When he gestured impatiently, she hurried towards it.

The laughter and music immediately stopped as the two reached the carpet.

"Bow," the blonde man murmured, dropping to one knee.

Miaka obeyed, feeling the eyes of yet another powerful man assessing her. Quickly, she glanced up to see this great emperor of Kutou…

And nearly gagged.

The man was old, perhaps in his late forties, perhaps later. He had a huge, hideous black beard that went down to his abdomen, which had obviously seen better days. His stomach appeared swollen, though whether it was from a disease or from gluttony, Miaka couldn't tell. His clothes were as elaborate as Hotohori's, but for some reason, Miaka had a feeling that they weren't kept as clean.

And as for the man's eyes…

Miaka could not suppress a shudder as she felt his eyes rove over her face, her neck, her… assets, and below. She felt her face heating, though she couldn't really tell why.

"Your Majesty, Emperor of Kutou! I beg an audience with you," the blonde man stated formally.

"Ah, Nakago."

A servant who stood far to one side proclaimed, "The great Emperor recognizes the warrior Nakago. The General and his company may approach within twenty steps of the throne."  
  
"Move," Nakago commanded quietly to Miaka.

The young girl obeyed, feeling slightly dazed. _What's with this 'within twenty steps' thing? Hotohori never had anyone do that…_

"What have you brought Us, Nakago?" the Emperor asked, looking down at them with a small smirk.

"I bring a young woman who claims to be our very own Priestess of Seiyruu."

"As predicted in the Universe of the Four Gods?"  
  
"That seems to be her claim, your Majesty." Nakago pulled of his helmet, revealing exactly how long his hair was. Miaka's eyes widened- without the helmet, the man was gorgeous!

"Well done, then! Well done!" the Emperor laughed. A few of the other people in the room laughed with him.

"The Emperor shows his gratitude to the warrior Nakago! The General and the Priestess may approach within ten steps of the throne."

This time, Miaka didn't need to be told what to do, though she was loath to obey. Cringing inwardly at being so close to the Emperor- and so far from any of the doors! - she followed Nakago.

"Well done!" the Emperor repeated. "Now we have nothing to fear, even that Priestess of Suzaku! I'll have that child Hotohori whimpering and groveling at my feet in no time at all!"

Miaka bit her lip and tried to hold back- honestly, she did! - but it wasn't long before her mouth decided to work before the mind could intervene.

"Hey, wait a second there, _mister!_" she snapped, raising an index finger and waving it for emphasis. "You guys may be enemies, but don't go dissin' Konan! You don't know the first thing about Hotohori! Ain't no way he'd ever grovel!"

The great hall became ominously silent.

"Uh… I mean…" _Oh nooo, here it comes…_

"What?!" the Emperor declared.

"I mean, uh.. that's what I …. Oh look! A flower! How pretty!" she gushed, pointing at it. "Anyway, what were you saying? Something about kids? I love kids!"

The room began to fill with murmurs of speculation, while the Emperor looked at her uncertainly.

"Humph. Odd woman," Nakago said softly. She shot him a glare, hoping it looked like she was angry and not about to pee herself. "Actually, your Majesty, there is one other girl I wanted to bring before you…"  
  
He clapped his hands twice. Again, the room silenced as a nearby set of doors opened.

Four soldiers marched through with a young woman in their midst. The young woman looked greatly confused, and a little indignant; her short hair was mussed, probably from sleep. She wore the same exact outfit as Miaka did…

"Y… Yui?! Is that… really…" Miaka gasped, staring.

The young woman stared back, eyes wide and watering. "Mi… Miaka?" she whispered.

Immediately, Miaka forgot about pretending to be Seiryuu's Priestess. She forgot about Tamahome, forgot about their audience. She threw herself at her best friend, crying, "_YUI! Thank goodness you're all right!"_

Her bag dropped to the ground as she hugged Yui tightly around the neck. Shocked, the other young woman began to cry and laugh at the same time.

"Miaka? Didn't you return to our world?!" she demanded, hugging the brunette back.

"I had to come back to find you!" Miaka wailed, refusing to let go. "When I got back home, your parents were worried 'cause you were gone! I thought you might've ended up here, so I came back."

"You came back to find _me?"_ Yui asked incredulously.

"Of course I did. We're going… we're going to the same high school, right?" Miaka asked, smiling widely at her friend.

"Yes… that's right… _Thank you, _Miaka!"

At about that point, Miaka became aware that they had an audience again.

"Who's the real Priestess?" one courtier whispered.

"It must be the blonde one… she's been around for months."

"But then who's the other one?"  
  
"What do we do? We can't have two priestesses, that's not in the scroll…"

And, at about _that_ point, Miaka realized something was missing- namely, her backpack.

She turned without releasing Yui, and felt her blood run cold. _Oh no…_

Nakago had picked up her pack and opened it, and had unrolled the scroll in there.

He read it for a few minutes, and Miaka felt her heart begin to pound wildly. Her eyes darted back and forth, looking for the quickest path out without getting herself and Yui shot full of arrows.

Then he looked up, a smirk on his face. "As I thought." He waved the scroll above his head for all to see. "This… is Konan's Universe of the Four Gods. And that means… that you are the Priestess of Suzaku!"

A soldier burst through the door that Miaka and Nakago had used earlier, kneeling. "Your Majesty! An intruder has broken through the gate! Several soldiers are attempting to contain him, but we can't hold him back!"

_Tamahome…?!_

Miaka shook her head, then grabbed Yui's arm and began to haul her away from the commotion and towards the nearest set of doors- the ones Yui came through. "Yui, let's go!"

Yui began to follow immediately, and the two were soon sprinting down the hallway. Their shoes made a loud clicking noise, easily identifiable when compared to the slippers worn about the Palace.

"Escape? To where?" Yui demanded as they rounded a corner.

"I don't – EEEK!"

The two collided into a soldier who'd been running towards the direction they'd come from.

"Ow! Hey, you two-!"

This time it was Yui who grabbed Miaka's arm, yanking her the other way. "Come on! I know a hiding place!"

"Wha- okay!"

It took a few turns through the halls, which were once again eerily silent. Their clicking shoes were muffled from the deep carpets, though since they had little traction, the two girls had to fight to keep from skidding and falling.

Soon, they found the hiding spot Yui had mentioned. It looked like the sort of thing people would dress behind, only it was in the hallway as if it were a sort of display. Yui dragged Miaka behind the screen, and the two knelt there, panting for breath.

"Now what do we do, Miaka?" Yui asked, peering around the screen. She ducked back behind it when a soldier came into view.

"We have to get back to Konan!" Miaka said, trying to orient herself. _Now I wish I'd told Chichiri about this… _

"Konan…?"  
  
"Yeah, that's the country we were in the first time! Look, Yui, we gotta get outta here because if you become the Priestess of Seiyruu, we'll _have _to become enemies. But you can come to Konan with me- Tamahome and the others would _love _to have you with us!"

Yui gained a strange expression on her face as she gazed at the screen before them. "Tama…home?" she murmured. She reached up as if to straighten her hair.

Miaka gasped. _What the-!_ She shot her hand out and caught Yui's, pulling it into the light. "Yui! What happened?!"

A long, thin, pink scar ran along the underside of Yui's wrist.

Yui snatched it back, laughing lightly. "Oh that, it's nothing! Just a scar! Three months ago at the library, a bright blue light burst out of the Universe of the Four Gods… I probably hurt myself entering the book."

"Yui…"

"It was crazy," Yui said, shaking her head. "I had no idea what to do, or where I was. I started looking for you, but… well, that man saved me."

_Man? Who- oh! _"You mean that blonde-haired, blue-eyed man? He doesn't look Chinese."

"Uh-huh… he says he's a foreigner," Yui supplied.

"A foreigner?" Miaka asked, blinking. "You mean a forefather?"  
  
"No!" Yui said, slapping her friend and sweat-dropping.

They fell silent as a group of soldiers began to march past.

"See anything?"  
  
"D'ya hear those weird shoes?"  
  
"Nothing!"

"Remember, General Nakago wants them both alive. Especially Mistress Yui!"

"Right!"

Yui sighed as they rounded a corner, and slumped against the wall.

"We'll never escape at this rate!" she complained.

Miaka started to nod. Then, her eyes went big as she suddenly realized something.

"My bag! Oh, no! I forgot the Universe of the Four Gods! It has the clues to find the other three constellations… oh no… I have to get it back!"

With that, Miaka stood up and began to march out from their hiding place, just as another soldier came running by.

Yui grabbed her and started to drag her back. "Idiot! Don't go now!"

But it was too late- the soldier had noticed them.

"It's you!" he said, readying his spear. "Come quietly, Priestess of Suzaku, and you won't be hurt! Mistress Yu-"

His eyes went wide, and then blanked as he collapsed to the ground.

"What?!"

_Ta… Tamahome! Oh, no, I can't…_

Indeed, the teal-haired warrior had just elbowed the soldier and was now striding over to the two girls. "Miaka!"

Said young woman ducked behind her friend. _I can't!_

"Tamahome?" Yui asked, suddenly gaining his attention.

_Oh thank you, Yui…_

The warrior blinked, then wiped his hair from his face- he was soaking wet, and his hair was no exception. "Uh… Yui, right?" He gave her a friendly smile. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"You remember me, then?" Yui asked, surprised. A small smile crept onto her face, even as she blushed.

"Well, you are Miaka's friend, right? She was going crazy looking for you after you disappeared…"  
  
A voice just beyond the screen called, "One of our men's down!"

Tamahome grabbed both girls, yanking them entirely behind the screen, and covering them with his body. Yui's face burned a deeper red, while Miaka tried not to breathe in his musky scent. _Oh no, why does he have to smell so friggin' nice?!_

The voices continued for a while, but finally the soldiers appeared to have marched off to search elsewhere. Again, the Priestess of Suzaku had had her God's luck with her.

It was then that Tamahome realized what he was doing, and released both Yui and Miaka with a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that!" he said, rubbing the back of his head. Then he winced and rubbed his leg. "Ow, ow, ow…"  
  
"What's wrong?" Yui asked.

"That foreign guy just messed up my leg, that's all… ow, ow…"

"He did that?! I'll go talk to him!" she declared, standing.

"Yui, where are you going?!" Miaka asked, reaching for her friend.

"I'm going to get that Universe of the Four Gods back, and I'm going to tell everyone off."  
  
"What if they capture you instead?"  
  
"That won't happen. Nakago won't refuse me! He can't!" Yui said with a wink. Then she marched off.

It was then that Miaka realized that Tamahome was watching her with narrowed eyes.

_Oh, boy…_

* * *

Yui soon found Nakago, who was chastising his troops for not having found her or Miaka yet. "What do you mean, you haven't found Mistress Yui yet?"

_You bastard. You lied to me about Miaka. I trusted you. How could you… No, Yui. Leave it alone. It might just be what he thought. She did come for me, she did. Well, here goes. I sure hope he does listen to me…_

"One girl in a palace can be hard to find," Yui commented wryly, coming out from behind one of the many pillars that held up the great Palace.

Nakago turned, his face a mask of concern. "Mistress Yui. Where were you? I cannot approve of you spending any time with the Priestess of Suzaku!"

_You can disapprove all you want. Like that ever stopped me._

"I want the Universe of the Four Gods, Nakago."

"You may have it when you become our Priestess, Mistress-"  
  
"Stop calling me that! I told you a long time ago that I'm no Priestess!" Yui glared at him. "I'm not going to be your Priestess. I'm going with Miaka. I'm going to Konan. I'm going to go home. Now _give me Miaka's copy of the Universe of the Four Gods."_

To her indignation, Nakago didn't seem at all worried or angered by her outburst. To the contrary, he looked amused as he pulled the scroll out from his cloak. "Very well, Mistress Yui. But please, remember what happened three months ago. That young lady was not as worried about you as you would imagine. Of course, you may do as you please, but…"

Yui snatched the scroll out of his hand and began to run back towards Miaka and Tamahome.

"If you change your mind, Mistress Yui, then please come to the shrine of Seiryuu," Nakago called, still smirking.

Yui didn't respond.

* * *

"Why can't you accept my protection?" Tamahome demanded.

"Because Yui's my best friend."  
  
"That has nothing to do with it!" the warrior said, crossing his arms and frowning. "You're the Priestess. Remember? You, Priestess. Me, Warrior. Me protect you. Ring a bell?"  
  
Miaka sweat-dropped. "What's with the Tarzan reference? That doesn't happen for thousands of years!"

He blinked. "What?"  
  
"Never mind. Look, the priestess shouldn't be so freaking dependent on her warriors, okay? Besides, your family was in danger. You should prioritize, Tamahome." _Hey, look, I used a word from my English-Japanese dictionary! Hee! Studying pays off! Ack! Miaka, wrong thing to think about! Think about your situation…_

"And you should be careful. There's only one Miaka, you know. We can't replace you!" Tamahome said.

"And Suzaku can't replace you. Where would we be if you can't come to the ceremony because of your family or something?"

"Miaka, I'm here to protect _you, _remember?"

"It shouldn't have to-"

Tamahome reached for her, but she pulled away. "Damn it, Miaka, I-"

"Miaka!" Yui called from the other side of the screen, waving the scroll.

Tamahome yanked away from his priestess, grumbling and crossing his arms. Miaka, grateful for the interruption, leapt to her feet and hurried towards her friend.

"Yui, thank goodness! Are you all right?"  
  
"Of course I am! Nakago's going to let me go."  
  
"You're kidding! He doesn't look like a guy who gives up."  
  
"Heh. Doesn't matter, does it? After we leave, we'll never see him again," Yui said, smiling.

"Right."  
  
"So how are we supposed to get out now?" Yui asked. "Nakago's not going to stop me, but he's not going to help, either. He's not ordering any of his troops to stop…"  
  
"Chichiri's right outside," Tamahome said. "He can teleport us outta here."

"Really?" Miaka asked, relieved. _Wow, so he did come after all… Now that's a cool Seishi… wait, didn't I just give a speech about not needing Seishi? What an idiot! _

"Now we just gotta get outta here," Miaka declared.

"Just?" Tamahome complained, standing and wincing.

"Oh no, your leg…"  
  
"Don't worry. I just can't run very fast, that's all."

"We're not going to let you get hurt, you know!" Yui said, stamping her foot.

Miaka smiled. _Oh Yui, you always were protective…_

Tamahome, on the other hand, looked a little vexed at being told what to do by a girl who was three years his junior. However, he didn't protest as Yui took one of his arms, and Miaka the other. Looking about carefully, they edged out from behind the screen.

"Which way, Yui? Do you know the quickest way out?" Miaka asked as they helped Tamahome along the hallway.

"It takes a few minutes either way. The only way we can get out quickly is through a win- EEEE!"

Tamahome had shoved them both to the ground just as a spear landed in the opposite wall. Despite his sore leg, he went into defensive stance. "Damn it!"

"It's the Priestess of Suzaku and her warrior! They're kidnapping our Priestess! Kill them!" one of Kutou's soldiers bellowed.

_Not good, not good, not good!_

Another spear was aimed, and Tamahome had to leap up in a scissor kick to evade the attack. Then he leapt forward, attacking mostly with his arms and hands.

One soldier went down with a punch in the face. Tamahome then grabbed up one of the discarded spears and knocked another one upside the head. When the soldier retaliated by trying to stab Tamahome, the warrior dodged and brought the blunted side of the spear up between the man's legs. The soldier soon decided he had better things to do than fight, like rolling about the floor whimpering. A third soldier had to be stabbed to stop.

The fourth soldier, having seen the way Tamahome fought, decided on another tactic of fighting entirely.

Namely, running away yelling for help.

Tamahome watched him go, panting.

"Tamahome!" Miaka said, relieved. She and Yui had edged off to one side of the hallway during the fight, to avoid being trampled.

The young man turned, his Seishi mark on his forehead glowing brightly. He gave a peace sign. "Come on, let's go!" He said, striding over the defeated soldiers.

Miaka and Yui nodded. Yui turned and started down the hallway immediately, but Miaka paused when she noticed movement.

One of the soldiers on the ground- the first one- had grabbed one of the spears.

He was only three feet away from Tamahome.

"Tamahome!" she shrieked, pointing.

But it was already too late- the soldier had already begun to swing his spear. The side of the spear crashed against Tamahome's bad leg with a resounding _thwack!_

Tamahome went down, crying out in pain.

Yui turned. "Tamahome!" she cried.

Miaka rushed forward as the soldier staggered to his feet.

"Heh, heh… it looks like I found a weak spot," the soldier panted. He aimed his point at both Seishi and Priestess of Suzaku. "And now, warrior and Priestess, you will die!"

Miaka cringed, grabbing Tamahome's hands and yanking him back with her. This only served to make him fall on top of her. Again, he winced and bit his lip to keep from whimpering from the pain.

The spear aimed, then it raised in the air…

…And dropped as the soldier was knocked unconscious from behind.

"Huh?" Miaka and Yui looked up.

"Chichiri!" Miaka said, smiling in relief.

The blue-haired monk, however, was not smiling. "Now's not the time for you two to be fooling around, no da!" he told Miaka and Tamahome. "This is a rescue mission, and it's not over yet, no da!"

Blushing, Miaka pushed Tamahome off of herself and sat up. Yui watched the newcomer cautiously.

Chichiri, meanwhile, took a quick look at the other soldiers- who were all still unconscious- before looking over Tamahome. "Ouch. Broken leg. Definitely snapped bone, no da. We'll need the Nyan-Nyans for this." Then he looked over at the two girls. "You an' your friend okay Miaka? No da!"

"Yep! Chichiri, this is Yui. Yui's my best friend! Yui, this is Suzaku Seishi Chichiri! One of my warriors!"

Yui nodded cautiously. "Hi," she offered.

"Nice to meetcha, no da. But now's not the time." He pulled off his straw hat, his kasa, and dropped it to the floor. "Okay, we got just enough power to get you guys outta here and to some treatment, no da. Let's get Tamahome through first."

"What are we doing?" Yui asked, confused.

"Just watch, Yui," Miaka said, helping Tamahome to his feet. The warrior was blushing and mumbling about being able to take care of himself.

Chichiri gripped Tamahome's shoulder for a moment, saying, "Don't be alarmed when you get there. We'll be right behind you, no da!"

"Why would I be al-"  
  
Tamahome's feet slipped into the inside of the hat. They touched the straw. Then they kept going.

And kept going.

Yui's eyes widened as Tamahome continued to disappear. Soon, only his head and shoulders were visible.

Then he was gone.

"Tamahome! What-"  
  
"It's okay, it's just magic. No da," Chichiri said. He offered the hat to her. "They're after you since you're their Priestess. You go next. No da."  
  
Yui looked at the hat uncertainly, then at Miaka.

"It's okay!" Miaka said. "I'll be right behind you!"

"Okay…" Yui swallowed, then stepped into the hat.

A moment later, she too was gone.

"Miaka, you're the last."  
  
"Right." Miaka took a deep breath, then took a step-

-and found herself falling through darkness.

* * *

End Chapter One.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Most Mysterious Of Plays**

Chapter Two: Nyan-Nyans

* * *

Yui shook her head, trying to figure out what happened. She felt very dizzy, and so found it hard to sit up. She knew she was lying down, and knew she was being cushioned by something, but since she didn't think opening her eyes would do any good, she kept them closed.

Thus, she had no clue where she was.

_I remember seeing Miaka. And finding myself helping her escape. Tamahome… then a spear, and a man with a weird face…_

She hadn't realized she'd said that aloud until a hurt voice proclaimed, "What's with you otherworldly girls and making fun of a guy's face, no da?"

She opened her eyes, finding that the man she'd mentioned was peering at her. Immediately, she was overwhelmed with dizziness and shut them again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make fun of you."

"I got it from Miaka, too. You'd think a Priestess would be nicer!" he complained cheerfully.

_Miaka! _"Where is she? And Tamahome? Are they all right?" she demanded.

"They're fine. Miaka blacked out, same's you. Tamahome's being treated for his leg right now. You'll be able to see them as soon as the Nyan-Nyan can come take a look at you. Sorry about that- forgot other people aren't used to teleporting, no da!"

_Teleporting.__ That's right, that's what happened!_

"Here, I can help a bit. Just relax a bit, no da."  
  
She felt his hand gently touch her forehead. Then, to her surprise, she felt as though he was sucking the dizziness straight from her head into his fingertips. After a moment, the sensation ended, as did most of the disorientation.

Yui opened one eye, then the other. Slowly, she sat up, finding herself lying in a giant bed. The man- Chichiri, that was it- sat on a chair next to the bed. He was smiling at her.

"Thank you," she said. "Where… am I?"  
  
"This is the mountain of Taitsukun, no da."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The one who wrote the Universe of the Four Gods. She's the one who gave four copies out, one to each of the rulers of the world, no da."  
  
_Only four countries in one world?__ Wow…_

"At least, to the four rulers that matter to us the most, no da," Chichiri added nonchalantly. "Feeling better?"  
  
She nodded.

"Good. How about we go see Miaka? The Nyan-Nyan ought to be there, so we can get both of you set to go in no time, na no da!"

He stood, and she cautiously followed suit, leaning against the wall when she suddenly felt like she was about to black out again. Chichiri immediately grasped her arm, steadying her until she could stand on her own again. Then he started for the door.

Yui followed, staggering slightly. "Just what is a Nyan-Nyan, anyway?" she asked curiously.

There was a pause. Then, with a smile, Chichiri responded, "Nyan-Nyan is Nyan-Nyan, no da."

_Like that helps._

"Meaning…?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough, no da. Come on."

_You expect me to follow you just because you want me to? What an ego you must have, mister… well, as soon as I find Miaka, she can explain this all to me…_

The blonde girl stopped for a moment, surprised. _Since when have I become dependant upon Miaka? It's been the other way around since… well… then again, she's been around here for a while. So I guess she'd know more about this Taitsukun Mountain place. _

_It's weird depending on her for something, though. She's always depended on me for taking notes in class, for studying, for ranting about school, for crying… _

Yui smiled. _Guess that's what it's like to have friends. You depend on each other, not just one on the other. Take that, Nakago. _

With that, she found herself walking with her head up instead of slouching, and soon found herself striding along beside the strange man instead of behind him.

"Look, I don't mean to be rude about it," Yui said finally. "But what happened to your face, anyway? You look like you're blind or something."  
  
"Years of using bad light for reading, no da," he said with another grin.

_Okay… that didn't sound right, coming from someone from Ancient China. _"You're not going to tell me, are you?" she said.

"Nope, no da! Here's Miaka's room." He opened the door.

Yui peered in to see that Miaka's room greatly resembled hers. Miaka herself sat on the bed, much like Yui had, only she was partially undressed. All about her were small, little girls who looked exactly alike.

_What are they doing here? Are they servants in training to these Nyan-Nyan things?_ Yui wondered as she entered. Chichiri was still by the door, his head turned politely.

"We fix, we cure!" one girl chanted.

"We cure, we fix! We heal, we heal!" another cried out.

Miaka was smiling at the whole lot of them. "I'm fine, really," she was saying as they continued to gently poke and prod at her. "Knock it off, guys, that magic worked, really.."  
  
She looked up, and her smile grew. "Yui! You're awake! You okay?"  
  
"Yeah."

"That was insane, wasn't it?" Miaka asked.

Yui was about to reply when one of the girls took note of the new girl. "Heeey, we haven't healed you yet!" she declared, pointing an accusing finger at the blonde.

"Heeey!" the rest of the girls chorused, turning to look at her.

Yui wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she heard a chuckle from the doorway as she was rather forcefully taken to a nearby chair and the girls began to look over her, gently poking and prodding her as they had with Miaka. "What the-"  
  
"It's okay, Yui. They're the Nyan-Nyan. Their specialty is healing!" Miaka said.

"They're the healers?!" Yui asked, twitching as they poked her again. "What are they looking for, anyway…"  
  
"Actually, I think they like to just poke you to see if you twitch," Miaka told her seriously. Then she giggled. "What do you think, Chichiri?"

"I think that even if that's not the case then they like to do it, no da!" Chichiri replied.

"Chichiri's being mean!" one of the girls pouted.

Another clambered up into a surprised Yui's lap and looked up at her with big eyes. "Tell Chichiri he's being mean," she told the young woman.

"Uh…?" Yui blinked.

"Chichiri's being mean! Chichiri's being mean!" the others chanted, even as one of them cast a healing spell on the blonde.

"Oi, I am not, no da!" Chichiri called. "Don't make me come in there, no da!"

Miaka laughed again. "It's okay, Chichiri. We're both dressed."

The blue-haired monk, chibified, peeked into the room. "So I see, no da. Good. Taitsukun wants us all to meet in Tamahome's room."

"How come?"  
  
"She wants us to plan on what to do next, now that we've saved your friend, no da."

_Planning? I thought we were going- oh, right. Miaka said something about needing that Universe of the Four Gods thing to help her figure out stuff about her other Warriors._

"How many Seishi have you guys found?" Yui asked.

"We've got four," Miaka said. "Tamahome's one. Then there's Nuriko, Hotohori, and of course, Chichiri!"

"No da!" Chichiri gave the two of them a peace sign.

"She's fixed! She's healed! She's-" one of the Nyan-Nyans grabbed Yui's hand and turned it to look at her wrist. "She's hurt!"

"She's hurt! She's hurt!" the Nyan-Nyans began to wail, all at once.

Yui's face colored as she tried to pull back. But when she managed to free her hand, another of the Nyan-Nyan grabbed it and turned the scar into the light again. "It's nothing, really," she said desperately.

The Nyan-Nyan in her lap looked like she was on the verge of tears. Quietly, she whimpered, "Hurts. Hurts so much and Nyan-Nyan can't reach it. Nyan-Nyan can't heal."

The others whimpered in agreement.

_Oh my god… they know, they know…_

Yui shot Miaka a panicked look. Her friend sat on the bed, in the middle of tying her hair back, looking confused about what was so horrible about a small scar.

_I can't let her know. If anyone else knew, I would… I would…_

Yui yanked away, standing up. The Nyan-Nyan in her lap shrieked in surprise and tumbled on top of one of her sisters. "I'm _fine, _okay?" Yui snapped. "Leave it alone!"

The room became silent.

Feeling as though her face was never going to cool, Yui stormed out from underneath the pile of Nyan-Nyan, through the door, and down the hallway.

"What was that?" she heard Miaka ask worriedly.

_I can't tell her. They don't have to know. It's not important… I…_

"I'm sorry about the Nyan-Nyan, no da."  
  
Yui jumped and whirled around to see that Chichiri was approaching, regarding her seriously. "Tell them to back off," she said. "I don't need them sticking their noses-"

"I know. I told them off," he said quietly. "They just get upset if there's something they can't cure."

"Can't… cure?"

He nodded. Then he smiled. "But you obviously don't want to talk about it, so let's just head over to Taitsukun, no da! I'm sure she's getting impatient by now! Gee, we're in for it for real now! I hope she just takes it out again on the Nyan-Nyan!" At her surprised expression, he frowned. "Jeez, I'm just joking, no da. I wouldn't do that to the Nyan-Nyan…"

Yui blinked, then shook her head. "No, no, it's not-"

Miaka peered around the corner. "Yui, you okay?"  
  
"Huh? Oh! Yes. The scar's just tender, that's all. They really surprised me," Yui lied quickly.

"I guess," Miaka said uncertainly. "They definitely surprised me the first time I came here."  
  
"You've come here before?"  
  
"Daaaaa, can we talk as we walk? Taitsukun's getting really impatient, no da!" Chichiri complained.

"All right, all right! You're so pushy!" Miaka chided him.

"Am not, but I can be, no da!" He stepped behind her and pushed her lightly in the back.

"Hey!"

"Save that for the horses, no da. Let's get moving!"

As Yui walked and Miaka was pushed, the two girls sweat-dropped. "That's gotta be the worst pun I ever heard," Yui muttered, despite her smile.

"Oi, I could do a lot worse, no da!"

Miaka rolled her eyes.

* * *

End Chapter 2.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Most Mysterious of Plays**

Chapter Three: Konan

* * *

"Finally! Where were you?!"

"AAAAAAAAH!"

Yui leaped backwards, landing behind a surprised Miaka. She peeked out again at the huge, hideous face that had appeared in front of her a moment ago. "Wh-wh-wh-what is that?" she asked.

"This is Taitsukun. She's the creator I mentioned, no da," Chichiri explained. He didn't appear to be distressed about her appearance in the least.

"But how… why did we come here, anyway, Chichiri?" Miaka asked suddenly. "I thought the creator wasn't supposed to help or hinder any particular god."

"I called in a favor. After all…" He reached up to his face, and began to peel away…

_Oh my God… he's peeling away skin!_

Yui shuddered and looked away.

_I knew he was some sorta freaky guy! This proves it!_

But then, being a teenager, she couldn't help but just take one peek…

She gaped.

The cheerful face, apparently some sort of thin mask, was now limply held in one hand. Now, Chichiri's face suddenly appeared much older and wiser than hers.

_Wow, I thought he was only a year or two older than me, like Tamahome. But, he's got to be in his twenties or something…_

His face was angular, with a small nose and small ears. One eye was full and round, the coloring a rich brown.

As for the other..

Yui gasped.

A long, dark scar covered his entire eyelid, reaching above his eyebrow and touching the bridge of his nose. His expression was much more somber than it was with the mask on, and Yui could understand why.

_He's hiding a scar. A huge one. Just like I am…_

The thought shocked her.

_Wh__-__what am I thinking? Of course it's not like me. What happened to me was… was… I can't even think about it without breaking down. It must have just been an accident or something. He just doesn't like people staring at it._

_Which is exactly what I'm doing._

_Oops._

Yui focused her gaze on the one good eye, as the man smiled at the lot of them faintly.

"After all, I had the honor of training under Taitsukun for three years," he said simply.

_Wow! Is it me, or did his voice just drop an octave? What's with that? It's like this is his mature side and that other side's his 'fun' side or something. This guy is definitely weird…_

Judging by the surprised looks on Miaka and Tamahome's faces, Yui guessed that they hadn't seen Chichiri without his mask before, either.

_That's right… Tamahome!_

"Tamahome! How are you?" Yui asked, walking over to the bed.

The young man was sitting up in the bed, propping his head up with one hand while he warily eyed Taitsukun. His expression seemed to light up when he noticed the two girls, however. "I'm fine. It was just a small injury- OW!"

Taitsukun removed her mallet from Tamahome's head, leaving the Warrior to fall gracelessly onto the ground. While Yui was wondering where in the world Taitsukun got a mallet, the creator said, "That was a small injury. And look at you! Whining like a child! If you all wish to summon Suzaku, you'll have to be a lot tougher than that!"

"I am tough," Tamahome muttered.

Yui was about to see if she could get him some ice- or, failing that, a Nyan-Nyan, even though she didn't really want to talk to them again- when Taitsukun fixed her with an unreadable expression. The young blonde found herself freezing in place, unable to move under that intense scrutiny.

Again, that unreasonable fear welled up within her…

_She knows she knows what should I do I can't let Miaka know I can't I can't I can't-_

"You are in grave danger. Both of you," Taitsukun said gravely. "But especially you, Priestess of Seiryuu."

"What?!" Yui blinked, then felt her hands clenching. "I am not their stupid Priestess!"

"Says you. But what about Nakago? What about the Seiryuu Seishi, their Emperor?"

"Who cares what they say?" Yui asked scathingly. "They're all stuck there without a Priestess anyway."

"Stuck where, and how? Are you aware of how big Konan is? How big Kutou is, Priestess?"

Yui shook her head. "Stop calling me that!"

"Yui…" Miaka said softly. She stood a few feet away, watching the interaction with big, worried eyes. Chichiri looked slightly uncomfortable, and spent his time placing his mask back on his face and scratching the back of his head. Tamahome looked mildly interested in what the group had to say.

"Kutou is more than twice the size of Konan, Priestess of Seiryuu. What makes you think that they won't come after you?"

"Come… after me?" Yui asked.

Taitsukun threw her arms up over her head. "Hopeless! The only chance for Konan lies within this room, and both of you are absolutely hopeless!" She flicked a wrist, and barked, "Nyan-Nyan!"

"NYAN-NYAN FIX! NYAN-NYAN HEAL!"

About five of the tiny healers popped into the room, all landing on top of Tamahome. He let out a loud, "Oof!" before falling to one side. Miaka and Yui turned away, blushing at his bare torso.

Tamahome struggled with the Nyan-Nyans, cursing and squirming about as the rest of them stared, collectively sweat-dropping. Then, Taitsukun said, "Well? I'm waiting for some suggestions from you lot."

"Yui could come with me and help me find the other Seishi!" Miaka said immediately. "Since we'll grow bigger in number as we go along, we can all protect her more!"

"And what exactly would you say to them? 'This is our enemy, the Priestess of Seiryuu, who you have to protect just as much as you have to protect me?'" Taitsukun asked.

Miaka frowned. "I can take care of myself!" she protested.

"Like back there in Kutou, no da?" Chichiri asked gently.

She blushed. "That was… but you said…!"

"I know what I said. And I know what I meant, too. Have you figured it out yet, Priestess of Suzaku?" Chichiri had not removed his mask again, but his voice had dropped an octave once more. Yui once again blinked in surprise.

_Why does he switch voices like that? Is it like another… mask?_

Miaka sighed. "I thought I did. But now I'm not sure."

"Think on it. Let me know when you believe you know, and don't just run off and do it. We were fortunate in finding your friend this time, but next time, who knows? No da."

"You're right." Miaka gave him a small smile. "Well, what do the rest of you suggest, then?"

Tamahome, who had been wrestling with the Nyan-Nyans in a giant dust cloud behind the group, suddenly sent three Nyan-Nyans into orbit and stood out of the bed, fastening his belt around his pants but still bare-chested and barefoot. "I think we should send Yui home," he said softly. "Then there's no danger to her at all."

"What?!" Miaka demanded, grabbing Yui's hands. "But-!"

"It's a thought, no da," Chichiri said. "Though perhaps not a pleasant one for you two."

Yui felt a tug at her heart, both at the Seishi's words and at Miaka's reaction. _Nakago, you bastard, you lied to me…_Her hands clasped over Miaka's, and she looked defiantly up at the two Seishi. "I'm not going anywhere," she said. "I'm not going to go home and be able to do nothing when Miaka's in trouble!"

"Besides, none of you are _girls!"_ Miaka added, as though that settled everything.

Taitsukun whipped out a mallet and smacked Miaka on the head with it. Yelping, Yui leaped back to avoid being smacked too (or being bowled over by an unconscious Miaka). "Baka. We can't send her back anyway. We'd need her Seishi's powers, and they have no intention of letting her escape. The only way to keep her safe with you and to get her home is for Miaka to summon Suzaku."

"Then… what else could we do?" Miaka fretted. "She can't stay but she can't go…"

The group was silent. Tamahome slipped on the rest of his clothing while Miaka and Yui simply held on to each other, as though at any moment something would try to rip them apart. Chichiri gazed about at the room thoughtfully, while Taitsukun waited for them to figure things out.

"Perhaps… she could stay at the palace?" Chichiri suddenly suggested. "Hotohori-sama should allow her to stay as a guest. Miaka can go searching for the Seishi. I can keep a contact between the two so they can speak, if nothing else, no da. If Kutou tried to move in now, well…" He suddenly trailed off.

Yui, however, caught up the end of his thought. "You want to use me as a hostage," she whispered, eyes wide.

"No, no!" he said, waving his hands. "Not like that, no da! Well, rather, what we could do is _say _you're our hostage, just to keep 'em in line until Miaka gets back, no da."

"I don't know," Yui said.

But Tamahome, Miaka, and even Taitsukun were nodding. "Good," Taitsukun said to her pupil. "It's about time one of you showed some brains. Do as you say."

_Wait a minute. Why aren't I being consulted?! This is about me! _

She was about to tell them this, but before she could even open her mouth Yui found Miaka looking up at her hopefully. "Yui-chan, what do you think? Would it be all right? I don't want you in danger, but I don't want you to go, either…"

Yui opened her mouth, then closed it. She looked around at the rest of the people in the room; the Nyan-Nyans, who were watching the conversation interestedly, the Creator, Taitsukun, Tamahome, Miaka, Chichiri…

After a long moment, she let her head fall so her chin could rest on her chest, and murmured, "Do I really have a choice?"

"Yui…" Miaka said softly.

"At the least, I can let you know when you're being an idiot about something. It'll be better than talking to a book, that's for sure!"

Yui lifted her head and smiled at the other young woman, who was now gaping at her. "Ne, Miaka, when did you turn into a koi?" she asked, poking her friend in the chin. "Stop that. It's highly unattractive."

The brunette's mouth snapped shut. Then Miaka lunged at her friend.

"Oh, Yui! I'm so happy! I'm so glad we got you safe and you're with us and you'll be safe and we can go home soon!"

The two crashed to the floor, thanks to Miaka's unexpected glomp and Yui's sudden loss of balance. Yui ed as the Seishi sweat-dropped and the Nyan-Nyan came up to inspect the damage.

"Well, I'm glad you all agree then," Taitsukun said dryly. "Right then." She waved one arm, and, miraculously, the Nyan-Nyans all rushed to her side. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get going!"

Chichiri jumped a little, then said, "Oh, right, no da," rather sheepishly. Then he flourished his cloak- _where'd that come from? _Yui wondered- and spread it out on the floor before the little group. "Just step on it, no da. It's a lot more comfortable than going in the hat, honest! No da."

"Right! Come on, Yui, let's go first!" With that, Miaka pulled her friend by the arm onto the cloak. And Yui, grinning like an idiot, didn't resist in the slightest.

* * *

End Chapter Three. 


	4. Chapter 4

**The Most Mysterious of Plays**

* * *

Chapter Four: Meetings and Greetings

"Ow!"

"Oi, stop that no da!"

"I can't help it. Ow, Yui, that _hurts…"_

"Oh! Tamahome! I'm so sorry!"

To Yui's chagrin, Chichiri's magical articles seemed to have a sense of humor. Instead of allowing Yui and Miaka to appear within the palace first, it had held them back until Tamahome and Chichiri had joined them in that space between matter. Then it had spat them out all at once, in a tangled ball of waving arms and legs and yanked hair. It didn't help that they had landed in a courtyard of some sort, where the ground was slightly damp from recent rain.

Chichiri had landed first, followed by Miaka, then Yui, and finally Tamahome. Chichiri was attempting to shove Miaka off, for she was digging her elbow into his side to get herself to freedom. Yui's foot was firmly wedged between the first two, but she was sandwiched quite firmly between Miaka and Tamahome.

Yui found a moment to feel relief that she wasn't facing upward, towards Tamahome. Her face was already hotter than she'd ever felt it before. She knew her skirt must have ridden up during the short fall following their appearance. And she'd just proven how graceful she was by elbowing him roughly when she'd tried to escape from this mess.

"Well, wonderful job once again, Chichiri," Tamahome said wryly.

"Oi! I can't help it no da! The _kesa_ has a mind of its own!"

"Great. Possessed capes and flying straw hats just make my day," Yui muttered. Tamahome chuckled softly above her.

Then, he gave a yell of surprise, and Yui found herself relieved of one problem involved in freeing herself. She looked about wildly when she heard a loud thud, signaling that Tamahome had landed on the ground nearby. Then, she squeaked in surprise as someone lifted her out of the pile by her waist.

"Oh, stop that," a voice said cheerfully. "As comfortable as I'm sure you were, Chichiri looks like he needs a breather!"

Yui stopped struggling, and found herself standing beside the former pile a moment later. She turned curiously to see who had handled her so casually, and blinked as the person went to drag Miaka off of the monk.

"Hey, Miaka! You little two-timer! Aren't you with Tamahome?"

"Nuriko! Stop that! I can't help it if Chichiri messes up on his magic!"

"I didn't mess up! It just happens!" the monk said indignantly from his position on the ground.

The person who was now carelessly dragging Miaka about appeared to be a woman, though she didn't seem to be dressed in the usual female garb in this world. Yui's eyes widened, and she felt a surge of jealousy at the woman's gorgeous violet locks. Oddly enough, her hair looked like it was washed every day- just like at home- when the young woman knew all too well that people here considered washing to be an annual event, not a daily one.

_How do the people here manage to be so beautiful, and manage not to smell to high heaven when they worry less about hygiene than we do?_

"Yui, are you hurt?"

The voice was spoken softly, behind one shoulder. Yui gave a little yip and turned to see that Tamahome was smiling at her faintly. "Uh… no, no," she stammered. "I'm all right."

"Good. Nuriko can be a bit… careless." He chuckled ruefully, rubbing at a bump on the back of his head.

"Oh! Are you okay?" she asked, worried.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "I'm more worried about Miaka."

"Eh?"

She turned to see that the woman- Nuriko- was busy putting Miaka into a full nelson, shouting something about being left behind. Miaka was trying to reply, but she apparently couldn't breathe thanks to the position she was in.

Chichiri, who had only recently sat up, now stood and brushed the dirt off of the seat of his leggings. "And Nuriko calls me weird," he muttered.

"Who _is _Nuriko?" Yui asked, confused.

"A Seishi, just like us no da," Chichiri said.

"Wow, really?" _I didn't know that women were allowed to become warriors in this day and age… maybe the similarities between here and ancient China aren't as rampant as I thought…_

"Nuriko. Release our priestess," a voice said, amused. "We can't have her return safely only to die by her own Seishi's hand."

Yui's breath caught in her throat at the sound of that voice- so rich, so deep- and turned to see who was addressing the new Seishi.

She thought she might faint as Nuriko hurried to obey the order.

The voice belonged to the most beautiful man she'd ever seen.

_Granted, most of the men I'm used to seeing are pimple-ridden teenagers, but still…!_

His hair was even lovelier than Nuriko's; dark and long, straight and thick. Just looking at it made her fingers itch to run through those wonderful locks. Though it seemed the norm around here, his figure was impeccable, though it was a tad broader about the shoulders than both Tamahome's and Nuriko's. His face reminded her of a model; clear skin, long eyelashes, eyes that one could drown in…

She realized she was staring just as blatantly as when she'd seen Chichiri's scar, and averted her gaze with a blush.

That wonderful voice laughed softly.

"Have no fear of embarrassment, my dear. I realize my beauty is overwhelming; you are permitted to stare as you please."

Yui felt that she would much rather prefer it if she could sink into the ground and die.

Chichiri saved her by placing a hand on her shoulder, looking up at the beautiful man. "Your Majesty, this is Miaka's friend," he said. "The rescue mission was successful."

"We are glad, Chichiri. It is a relief to have Our Priestess back, but it is a pleasure to house a friend of hers as well."

"Her name's Yui! Yui, say hi! This is Hotohori!" Miaka said. She grabbed Yui by the arm and began to drag her towards the man.

"Miaka, no! Stop it!" she hissed, trying to free herself. But before she could continue her protest, she found herself eye-to-eye with the man.

"So." The man's eyes narrowed. "You are the rumored Priestess of Seiryuu?"

Despite her embarrassment, Yui felt her hands clench into fists and her face pull into a frown of its own. "I'm no priestess," she said coldly. "Seiryuu can go do he-knows-what to himself for all I care. I want nothing to do with Kutou."

The man studied her for a moment. Then he said, "We shall see. Well. I suppose you all would like to rest. I'll arrange for a small meeting shortly."

"Will there be refreshments?" Miaka asked, smiling.

The man's eyes softened in amusement. "Of course, Miaka. I've had the cooks busy for the past few days on the simple off-chance that you would return soon. There is plenty of food to go around."

"Yes! Let's go, Tamahome! Yui!" Taking an arm of each person named, Miaka began to happily trot towards the nearest door. Yui could hear Chichiri and the two others make their way after them.

Which was odd, really. Yui had distinctly heard Chichiri address the man- Hotohori? - as his Majesty. Shouldn't an Emperor go first?

She felt a hand on her other shoulder, and looked back to see Hotohori regarding her solemnly. "Walk with me, if you please," he said simply, and dropped back again.

Yui hesitated, pulling a confused Miaka to a stop- apparently, her friend hadn't noticed her Emperor. "What is it, Yui?" she asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Don't worry about it," she asked, gently working to free her arm from Miaka's grip.

Then she felt herself bodily picked up, and shrieked in surprise.

"When Hotohori-sama says walk with him, you walk with him!" Nuriko announced from below her.

"Nuriko! Put her down!" Miaka demanded.

"Meh," was Nuriko's reply. However, the woman obediently put Yui down and hurried ahead with the others.

Yui looked to Chichiri for an explanation- he seemed to be the most sane in this lot- but all he did was give her a small smile and continue walking.

Slowly, she turned to meet the gaze of the Emperor of Konan.

For a moment neither of them moved. Then, Hotohori offered her his arm. Yui blinked in surprise, almost recoiling from his touch. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she took it, her fingers only very lightly touching the undoubtedly expensive fabric that made up his clothing.

"You realize who I am," he said.

She nodded. "The Emperor of Konan," she murmured.

He smiled faintly. "Well, that's a start. Miaka thought I was a woman at first."

Yui blinked. "Someone's going to have to tell me what Miaka's been up to while she's been here," she said.

"I'm certain she will be more than happy to inform you. But back to my earlier statement, Priestess-"

"I'm not a priestess, your Majesty," she said, interrupting him.

"You may not wish it, but if you are able to enter the book then you are a priestess. And Seiryuu has claimed you as his."

"How can you tell that-"

"It's simple. When you entered the book, what sort of light did you see?"

"Uh, blue."

"There you have it. Each god has his own colors that he 'claims', and uses to mark his chosen. Blue is the color that Seiryuu most commonly chooses."

"But I don't want to be their priestess," she said.

"As glad as I am to hear that, I must inform you of my plans regarding you."

Yui frowned.

"Miaka trusts you. And the others appear to trust you, but I have no proof of your trustworthiness. I'm afraid you will have to sit out at our meeting, unless we summon you. Furthermore, you will be accompanied by two guards whenever you leave your rooms that I will assign, unless you are in the company of a Seishi or Miaka. You will not be permitted to leave the palace grounds under any circumstances. Nor will you be permitted access to the shrines- I will have Chichiri set up a ward against anyone who is not a chosen of Suzaku. Is this understood?"

It was astounding, really, how much these words hurt Yui. She felt as though someone had smacked her sharply across the face. _But then,_ she thought with a hint of bitterness, _what did I expect? Not everyone's going to be happy to see me. I'm lucky they haven't bound and gagged me yet. Miaka, you're so naïve to think they'd accept me so easily…_

"So I'm a prisoner," Yui said aloud. "Is that it?"

"The word fits as well as any other I could give you, so… Yes, unfortunately. Until We have a better idea of how you fit into all of this, We must do this."

Yui's eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. "We?" she questioned.

"We, the Emperor. Understand this, Yui, friend of Miaka."

To her surprise, his broad shoulders seemed to sag slightly, as though something heavy had just dropped across his back. His eyes closed, giving off an impression of great exhaustion. Even his hair seemed suddenly a bit too limp.

"I do this not because I cannot trust you. I do this because the Emperor should not trust you, because the country should not trust you. Whether you wish it or not, Seiryuu has claimed you. And sooner or later, his chosen will come to return you to where their god is strongest. Now I must protect our beloved Priestess and our enemy's Priestess."

Yui sighed. "I… I understand. Just please, don't separate Miaka and I while we're here. It's been so long, and I need someone to talk to before she heads out again…"

"Yuuuuuuuuuuuuiiiiiiii!"

GLOMP!

"AAAAAH!"

Yui soon found herself thoroughly glomped by Miaka, whose mouth was still filled with food. As the blonde attempted to free herself from her friend's grasp, Miaka began to talk through her food:

"Yui-chan, wha're you shtill heah?"

The Emperor of Konan, Hotohori, laughed softly. Both girls turned to look up at him as he offered a hand to each.

"Separate you? My dear, I would have to lock up Miaka to do that, and even then I doubt it would last!" he said to Yui.

Miaka looked puzzled as she accepted the help. Yui, on the other hand, gave him a faint smile as she was pulled up.

"Then I think, your Majesty, that I can live with your conditions for a while."

"I am grateful for your understanding. But please, call me Hotohori. For the Emperor's job is done today- now, it is the Seishi who must be on duty."

And Hotohori gave Yui a smile that left her feeling as though she were staring at a god, not a mere Emperor.

With another soft laugh at her expression, Hotohori turned to Miaka. "So is there any more food available?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to see why you were taking so long. And Nuriko…"

"Oh dear. What now?"

"Well, Nuriko and Tamahome are at it again."

Hotohori sighed. "I hope they don't destroy a vase like the last time. Perhaps we should hasten our steps to avoid that fate."

"Yes, let's! Come on, Yui!"

And Yui, grateful that she wasn't going to be locked away from Miaka, eagerly followed suit.

* * *

End Chapter Four. 


End file.
